Device for supporting electric lamps



Patented Apr. 2, 1889.

A.T.. MGORE, 112.35 H. A. FITCH. DBVIGP POP SUPPORTING PLPGTPIG LAMPS.

m; R md,

(No Model.)

` supports for incandescent lamps.

UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

D ALEXANDER T. MOORE, JR., OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, AND

HORACE A. FITCH, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

DEVICE'FOR SUPPORTING ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,473, dated April 2, 1889.

` Application filed May 18, 1888'. Serial No. 274,333. (No model.)

To all whom it' may concern.-

I Beit known that we, ALEXANDER T. MOORE, J r., of New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and'State of Massachusetts, and HORACE A. FITCH, of Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have in- 'V'ented a certain new and useful Improvement in Devices for Supporting Electric Lamps, of which the following is a speciication.

This improvement relates particularly to Quite commonly these lamps are suspended by the cable including the electric conductors. Oftentimes it is desirable when the' lamps are so supported to adjust them vertically. into different'positions.

The, object of the improvement is to provide a convenient means whereby lamps supported by a cable can be raised and lowered at pleasure, soas to cause them to occupy any desired position.

The improvement consists in the combination, with a cable for suspending an electric lamp, of a rotary drum, to which such cable is at one end attached and around which the cable mayjoe wound, a counter-balance conconductors or wires of the cable may be main.

tained lin electrical communication with the main wires of the electric system, notwithstanding the adjustment of the drinn into different positions, all as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a device embodying our improvement. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the same, the cable at one point being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates a block, preferably made of insulating and non combustible material. Two opposite sides are provided with grooves a a2, in order that they may receive the main wires in an electric system or branch wires from such main wires. They also contain metallic plates B B2. The main wires, or the branch wires extending therefrom, are connected with the plates B B2, so as to be in electrical communication therewith. These plates are provided with .binding-screws b b2.

D D2 designate brackets which are secured by screws or otherwise to the block A and depend therefrom. Between these brackets a drum, O, is arranged. This drum consists of a body-piece, c, which is peripherally grooved, and two plates or cheek-pieces, c c2. The body-piece cis preferably made of wood or other insulating material; The cheek-pieces, however, are made of metal, The cheek-piece c is provided with a trunnion or axle, which is journaled in the bracket D. trunnion or axle of the cheek-piece c the cheek-piece c2 is provided with a hole or bearing, into which extends a stud, d2, with which the bracket D2 is provided. The drum is free to rotate, being supported partly by the trunnion of the cheek-piece c and partly by the stud cl2 of the bracket D2.

The body-piece of the drum has a central cylindric hole, c2, within it. As shown, this hole extends entirely through-it from side to side, and is covered by the cheek-pieces c c2. The cheek-pieces may be secured by screws or otherwise to the body-piece of the drum.

E designates a convolute spring arranged within the hole c in the body-piece of the drum. The inner end of thisV spring is secured to the stud d2 of the bracket D2. The outer end is secured to the body-piece of the drum.

F designates a cable, which 'has its upper end secured to the drum and is coiled around the body-piece of the drum within its peripheral groove. When this cable is pulled downwardly, it rotates the drum, and so is unwound from the drum. During4 this rotation the con volute spring is subjected to extra tension. Vhen the drum is free to rotate in the reverse direction to that in which it is rotated by the pulling down of the cable F, the spring E will exert a force suiiicient to cause such reverse rotation.

The cable F contains two wires, f f2. It

Opposite the will be seen that these two wires are extendied/Y IOO ' respect disturb this electrical eo mmunication.

The cheek-pieee c2 has connected toits outer side two pawls or dogs, h. These pawls or dogs are pivotally connected to the cheekpiece by means of screws or like devices.

The bracket D2 is provided at the outer extremity of the stud d2 with a disk-shaped flange, d4. In the upper part of this flange is a notch.

Each of the pawls his provided with a tooth adapted, when a pawl is above the flange d, to drop into the notch of the latter. Vhen the tooth of a pawl is thus engaged with the notch, the drum will be kept from rotating.

It will be observed that the cheek-piece c? is provided at its circumference with a laterally-extending flange, c5. This flange prevents the pawls from swinging' too far away fromthe disk d4.

At the lower end of the cable an electric lamp, G, is arranged.

The force of the convolute spring E should be such as to preponderate over the weight of the cable depending from the drum together with that of the suspended lamp, so that there will always be a tendency to rotate the drum in such direction as to wind up the cable. The tooth of each pawl is so shaped that when the cable is pulled down the rotation of the drum will force the tooth of the pawl out of the notch in the disk d4, but so that the force of the spring operating to rotate the drum in the reverse direction will not be capable of forcing the tooth out of g recess, and a cable secured to said drum and such notch. It is obvious, therefore, that the When the drum rotates rapidly, the pawls will be swung away from the disk by centrifugal force, and thereby kept out of engagement with the disk d4. \Vl1enever the lamp is elevated to the desired position, the motion of the drum will be arrested by restraining the upward movement of the cable, and this will enable one of the pawls to engage with the disk d4.

It will be seen that by our invention we produce a very simple and convenient device, whereby a lamp may be suspended and shifted into different positions without disturbing the existing electrical conditions.

What we clailn as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a fitting for a pendent electric lamp, the combination of an insulated block or wallpiece, metallic bracketfarms depending therefrom, one of said bracket-arms having a bearing-stud and notched flange, the other bracket-arm having a bearing for a trunnion, wires connecting the main wires and the bracketarms, a rotary drum having a recess, metallic side pieces secured to said drum, one of said side pieces having an opening for the stud of the bracket-arm, and the other ot' said side pieces having a trunnion, a spring connected at one end to the stud and at the other end to the drum within the recess, pivoted dogs automatically engaging the. notch of the notched flange, and a cable secured to said drum and in electrical connection with the side pieces, substantially as specified.

2. In a fitting for a pendent electric lamp, the combination of an insulated block or wallpiece, metallic bracket-arms secured thereon, wires electrically connecting the main wires and said bracket-arms, a rotary drum of insulating material having a central recess and metallic side pieces rotating therewith, one of said side pieces affording one of the bearings for said drum and a bracket-arm affording the other bearing, a spring connected at one end to the axle and at the other to the drum, said spring being located within said central in electrical connection with said cheekpieces, substantially as specified.

ALEXANDER T. MOORE, JR. HORACE A. FITCH. Witnesses:

CLIFFORD P. SHERMAN, WILLIAM M. BUTLER.

ICO 

